Translations by Ibrahim Saed

If an application that you want to start using is present in the launcher, you can click on that application's icon, and it will start up, ready for you to use.

The <gui>Launcher</gui> is one of the key components of the Unity desktop. When you log in to your desktop, it will appear along the left-hand side of the screen. The launcher provides you with quick access to applications, workspaces, removable devices and the trash.

Use the launcher

Change how long to wait before locking the screen in the <gui>Brightness and Lock</gui> settings.

What's new in Ubuntu 12.10?

You can scroll using your touchpad using either the edges of the touchpad or using two fingers.

You can set the sensitivity and acceleration differently for your mouse and touchpad. Sometimes the most comfortable settings for one type of device aren't the most comfortable for another. Just set the sliders on both the <gui>Mouse</gui> and <gui>Touchpad</gui> tabs.

To click, double-click, and drag with your touchpad, select <gui>Enable mouse clicks with the touchpad</gui>.

The farther you move your mouse, the faster and faster the pointer moves relative to your movement. This helps you get the pointer across the screen without lifting your hand, while still letting you point and click accurately. Acceleration controls this behavior.

Double click where it says <gui>Disabled</gui> on the far right, and then hold down the desired shortcut key combination.

Select a category on the left side of the window, and the desired action on the right.

Write a <gui>Name</gui> to identify the shortcut, and a <gui>Command</gui> to run an application, then click <gui>Apply</gui>. For example, if you wanted the shortcut to open Rhythmbox, you could name it <input>Music</input> and use the <input>rhythmbox</input> command.

Click the <gui>+</gui> button. The <gui>Custom Shortcut</gui> window will appear.

Click the current shortcut definition on the far right.

Select <gui>Custom Shortcuts</gui> on the left side of the window.

<link xref="user-add">Add user</link> or <link xref="shell-guest-session">guest user</link>, <link xref="user-changepassword">change password</link>, <link xref="user-admin-change">administrators</link>...

<link xref="keyboard-layouts">Keyboard layouts</link>, <link xref="keyboard-cursor-blink">cursor blinking</link>, <link xref="a11y#mobility">keyboard accessibility</link>...

Under <gui>Pointer Speed</gui>, adjust the <gui>Acceleration</gui> and <gui>Sensitivity</gui> sliders until the pointer motion is comfortable for you.

If your pointer moves too fast or slow when you move your mouse or use your touchpad, you can adjust the pointer sensitivity and acceleration for these devices.

Sensitivity is how much your pointer initially moves when you move your mouse.

You can quickly open a new window for an application with middle-click. Simply middle-click on the application's icon, either in the <gui>launcher</gui> on the left, or in the <gui>dash</gui>.

Select <gui>Left-handed</gui>.

Under <gui>Drag and Drop</gui>, adjust the <gui>Threshold</gui> slider to a value you find comfortable. Try moving the settings window by dragging the titlebar to test the current value.

When you click something, it's not uncommon for your hand to move a little between the time you press the mouse button and the time you release it. For this reason, dragging only starts if you move the pointer past a certain threshold, so that you don't accidentally start dragging every time you click. You can control the minimum distance required to start dragging.

Adjust the mouse drag threshold

Change how far you have to move your mouse pointer to start dragging.

Under <gui>Double-Click Timeout</gui>, adjust the <gui>Timeout</gui> slider to a value you find comfortable. Use the smiley face under the slider to test your settings. A single click will make it smile. A double-click will give it an ear-to-ear grin.

Click <gui>Mouse and Touchpad</gui>.

Click on it in the <link xref="unity-launcher-intro">launcher</link> or retrieve it from the window switcher by pressing <keyseq><key>Alt</key><key>Tab</key></keyseq>.

Or press <keyseq><key>Alt</key><key>Space</key></keyseq> to bring up the window menu. Then press <key>n</key>. The window 'disappears' into the launcher.

Open the <app>Terminal</app> by pressing <keyseq><key>Ctrl</key><key>Alt</key><key>t</key></keyseq> or by searching for <input>terminal</input> in the <gui>dash</gui>.

Like other desktops, Unity uses windows to display your running applications. Using both the <gui>dash</gui> and the <gui>launcher</gui>, you can launch new applications and control which window is active.

Select <gui>Disable touchpad while typing</gui>.

Select <gui>Brightness and Lock</gui>.

Click <gui>Brightness and Lock</gui>.

Change how long to wait before locking the screen in the <gui>Brightness and Lock</gui> settings.

The <gui>Dash</gui> allows you to search for applications, files, music, and videos, and shows you items that you have used recently. If you have ever worked on a spreadsheet or edited an image and forgot where you saved it, you will surely find this feature of the dash to be useful.

Click the icon at the very right of the menu bar and select <gui>System Settings </gui>.

You can make the launcher icons smaller to allow more items to fit in the launcher. Or you might want to make the launcher icons larger so they are easier to click.

Make the icons in the launcher larger or smaller.

Change the size of icons in the launcher

To remove an application icon from the launcher, right click on the application icon and select <gui>Unlock from Launcher</gui>.

The launcher icon order can be changed by dragging an icon off of the launcher, and then back onto it in the desired location.

Drag the application's icon from the <link xref="unity-dash-intro">dash</link> onto the launcher.

To add an application to the <link xref="unity-launcher-intro">launcher</link> for easy access:

Add, move, or remove frequently-used program icons on the launcher.

Change which applications show in the launcher

Customize the launcher

If an application that you want to start using is present in the launcher, you can click on that application's icon, and it will start up, ready for you to use.